The Shadow of the Empress: Fairy-Tale Opera and the End of the Habsburg Monarchy

The Shadow of the Empress: Fairy-Tale Opera and the End of the Habsburg Monarchy explores how the last Habsburg monarchs' grip on Europe's historical and cultural imagination was transformed by the changing circumstances of politics and society before, during, and after the First World War. The opera, created by Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Richard Strauss, was premiered at the Vienna Opera in 1919, but its cultural meanings were altered by the collapse of the Habsburg monarchy. Larry Wolff follows the story of Karl and Zita, providing a new understanding of Europe's cataclysmic twentieth century and our contemporary relationship to it.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 452 pages
Publication date: 02 May 2023
Publisher: Stanford University Press

A captivating delve into the enduring hold of the last Habsburg monarchs on the historical and cultural imagination of Europe. In 1919, Emperor Karl and Empress Zita, the final rulers of the Habsburg dynasty, bid farewell to Austria, embarking on an exile journey. Coinciding with this pivotal year, the enchanting fairy-tale opera, Die Frau ohne Schatten (The Woman Without a Shadow), premiered at the prestigious Vienna Opera. Crafted during the tumultuous years of World War I, the opera was envisioned as a triumphant celebration of the German and Habsburg empires' victory. However, the world had other plans, and the premiere took place in the aftermath of a catastrophic defeat.

The Shadow of the Empress: Fairy-Tale Opera and the End of the Habsburg Monarchy delves into the profound transformation that the changing political and societal landscape wrought upon the opera and its cultural significance. Strauss and Hofmannsthal, the creative minds behind the opera, transformed emperors and empresses into fantastical fairy-tale figures, while their real-life counterparts, once prominent in European politics, began to be perceived as anachronistic, semi-mythological figures. As Larry Wolff reflects on the seismic cultural shifts that rocked post-imperial Europe, he traces the story of Karl and Zita after their loss of thrones. Karl passed away in 1922, while Zita endured the rise of Nazism, World War II, and the Cold War. By the time of her passing in 1989, she had transformed into a fairy-tale figure, a symbol of imperial nostalgia.

Wolff skillfully weaves together the narrative of the opera's composition and performance, the fall of the Habsburg monarchy, and his own family's experiences in and exile from Central Europe. This rich tapestry of stories offers a fresh perspective on Europe's cataclysmic history, shedding light on the enduring legacy of the Habsburg dynasty and its impact on the cultural landscape.

Weight: 680g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503635647